Guide assembly for bifolding doors



p 1967 E. F. REISS 3,342,246

GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR BIFOLDING DOORS Filed Feb. 8, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l L INVENTOR. 5 EDMUND F. REISS ATTORNEYS Sept. 19,1967 E. F REISS GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR BIFOLDING DOORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1965 INVENTOR EDMUND F. REISS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,342,246 GUIDE ASSEMBLY FOR BIFOLDING DOORS Edmund F. Reiss, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 430,947 8 Claims. (Cl. 160-495) This invention generally relates to hardware for bifolding doors and is more specifically directed to a guide assembly for controlling the movement of a bifolding door.

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of an improved guide assembly for bifolding doors which is rapidly installed and adjusted for variant door 'and frame designs in addition to providing close control of door movement through a swing of 180.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved guide assembly which is particularly suited to accommodate manufacturing variations and irregularities in the size of the door panels, out-of-square doorways and error in the placement of hardware, without requiring relocation of the hardware.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a guide assembly of the type described incorporating an improved track for receiving a door guide of a bifolding door and controlling its movement to provide smooth and quiet gliding of the door panels to a desired position.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved track which possesses exceptional stability in addition to being economically fabricated and installed for effective operation over a long period of use.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of a four panel folding door installation incorporating the present invention wherein one pair of door panels is illustrated in a fully extended closed position and another pair of door panels is shown in the full line drawing as having its jamb panel positioned at a 90 door opening and in phantom at a 180 door opening;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partly exploded, isometric view of the door installation of FIG. 1 illustrating the upper portion of two panels in a fully extended closed position;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 illustrating a spring arrangement incorporated in the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view on a reduced scale of the spring illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a roller bracket incorporated in the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a front view, partly broken away, of the roller bracket of FIG. 6. I Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like parts, a four panel door is illustrated in FIG. 1 consisting of a pair of bifolding doors,

3,342,246 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 designated 10 and 12, each of which is mounted to open outwardly from the center of a doorway suitably formed in a wall designated 14. Since each pair of bifolding doors 10 and 12 are similarly mounted and operated relative to their respective sides of the doorway, it will be apparent from the following description that the invention is adapted to guide the movement of a single bifolding door as well as a multiple thereof and the invention is hereafter described in connection with the right-hand door 12 as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A first or jamb panel 16 is shown in the last mentioned figure as being connected to a second or lead panel 18 in side-by-side relationship with a plurality of hinges 20, one being shown in the drawing, preferably mounted to the inside surfaces of the door panels. Upon being fitted and trimmed, the bifolding door 12 is desirably inset within the doorway and supported for relative swinging movement by hinges having, for example, a hinge leaf 21 fixed at the side of the doorway and mutually interfitted with a corresponding hinge leaf, not shown, fixed to the edge of jamb panel 16.

The preferred embodiment of the guide assembly of this invention is positioned at the top of the doorway and includes, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a hollow telescoping track generally comprising an outer track member 22 receiving therein an inner track member 23, each track member preferably being extruded from suitable metallic stock, such as aluminum, to provide a durable light-weight assembly.

The inner track member 23 is illustrated as having one end pivotally mounted to a first pivot means or track control bracket, generally designated by the numeral 24, secured to the inside surface of jamb panel 16 adjacent its top corner near the hinge axis at the side of the doorway. The track control bracket 24 includes a fixed bi furcated panel guide 26 extending outwardly from the inside surface of the jamb panel 16 for receiving a lug 28 secured on the right-hand end of the inner track member 23 as viewed in FIG. 2, the lug being removably mounted to jamb panel guide 26 whereby the track is secured for pivotal movement about an axis provided by pivot pin 30 or the like.

At the opposite end of the track, the outer track member 22 is attached to a second pivot means or bracket 32. desirably formed in the shape of a generally fiat, rectangular plate illustrated as being pivotally connected to the left-hand end of the outer track member 22 by means of a rivet 34. Suitable fasteners, such as screws 36, aflix the pivot bracket 32 and the attached track at the top of the doorway so as to be adjacent the outer uppermost corner of lead panel 18when bifolding door 12 is in a fully extended closed position.

A roller bracket, generally designated 38, is mounted on the inside surface of lead panel 18 in a preselected position adjacent its outer uppermost corner. As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the preferred embodiment of bracket 38 includes a rectangular tilt plate 40 for positioning a lead panel guide which is generally shaped like an inverted L having an arm 42 extending horizontally outwardly and a depending leg 44. Both the tilt plate and the leg 44 of the lead panel guide are apertured to receive screw fasteners for secure assembly to the inside panel surface with the tilt plate 40 interposed between the panel and the leg 44. To provide the bifolding door with optimum guidance control throughout door opening and door closing movements, a generally cylindrical roller or door guide 46 formed of high strength resilient material requiring no lubrication, such as nylon or Delrin, is fixed at the outer end of the arm 42 with the axis of roller guide 46 preferably being vertically disposed and offset from the inside panel surface.

One lateral edge of tilt plate 40 is bent over to provide a side flange 40a directed angularly outwardly from the plane of the plate to engage leg 44 along one of its sides and to cock the arm 42 of the lead panel guide at an angle to the inside panel surface and to position roller guide 46 close to panel edge 18a. Upper and lower V-shaped portions of leg 44 are depressed so as to directly contact the flat side of the tilt plate 40, regardless of whether it is positioned with the flange 40a on the right side as viewed in the drawing or reversed with the flange on the left side, and an intermediate portion 44a of the leg, which is also V-shaped, has its apex raised from plate 40 to assure bottoming of a screw on leg 44 adjacent the flanged side of the tilt plate, whereby all the fasteners may be driven directly into the surface of panel 18 to facilitate the installation and to provide a secure assembly.

It will be apparent that roller bracket 38 is adapted to be reversibly mounted on the inside panel surfaces of doors opening to the right as well as to the left of the observer while at the same time providing close positioning of the roller guide axis relative to panel edge 18a to assure full 180 door opening for panels of varying dimensions, even when design conditions require spacing between the panel edge and the roller bracket due to the presence of a door stop fixed to the header, for example. If desired, a resilient stop or bumper 48 may be surface mounted near panel edge 18a of lead panel 18 for conveniently holding the door 12 in closed position, the bumper 48 being intended to contact, for example, a door stop, a jamb or another bumper on an adjoining bifolding door thereby biasing door 12 into a closed position.

Referring in detail to the track construction best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, both the inner and outer telescoping track members preferably are similar in structure and have a generally rectangular cross section. Track members 22 and 23 are illustrated as including a horizontal top portion 50, 52 respectively having vertical arms 54, 56 depending from the opposite side edges thereof with an inwardly turned horizontal flange 58, 60 inte grally formed on the lower end of each arm whereby each track member is provided with a pair of flanges spaced apart from one another in opposed parallel relationship to define longitudinally extending sides of the guide slot in the bottom of the track for receiving the roller guide 46.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention, exceptionally smooth glide control of door 12 is attained by the provision of a unique structure for the bottom guide slot. Smoothly finished, vertical contact surfaces, or side walls, 62 and 64, respectively formed on the free ends of each pair of flanges 58, 60, are aligned to lie in the same vertical planes thereby to provide uninterrupted sides for the guide slot and common contact surfaces between the inner and outer track members 22 and 23.

In order to maintain the roller guide 46 free from bouncing and shimmying from side-to-side during its traversing of the guide slot and to assure smooth crossover from one track member to the other at what is hereafter referred to as a transition point, the telescoping track members are further secured in interlocking relationship to reinforce one another against lateral or torsional forces and to maintain the sides of the guide slot in vertical alignment. This is accomplished by means of cooperating bearing surfaces longitudinally extending along each track member 22, 23 for sliding engagement with one another. More specifically, the bottom of each horizontal flange 60 of the inner track member is provided with a tapered surface 66 inclined downwardly toward the guide slot for interlocking engagement with a correspondingly tapered or chamfered edge 68 formed on the end of each flange 58 of the outer track member 22 thereby to resist lateral displacement of the vertical contact surfaces, the cooperating bearing surfaces being smoothly finished and free from burrs to facilitate longitudinal sliding. If desired, auxiliary means may be provided for resisting displacement of the track members from an aligned position, such as the longitudinally extending bearing strips 69 protruding from the outer surfaces of the inner track member 23.

In accordance with a still further aspect of this invention, a suitable biasing member, such as the illustrated spring clip 70 retained between the telescoping track members, is provided to cooperate with the flanges 58, 60 so that the tapered surface 66 of the inner track member 23 is pressed down against the chamfered edge 68 of the outer track member 22 to take up any play therebetween and, at the same time, to effectively suppress rattling of the track members to assure a quietly operating guide assembly. The spring clip 70 is preferably formed of a durable, resilient, self-lubricating material having a low friction coefficient, such as nylon, and is shaped in the form of a thin strip with tabs 72 formed at its opposite ends. The tabs 72 are conveniently extended upwardly through and locked in a pair of apertures 74, longitudinally spaced apart in the top of the outer track member, thereby to create a bias in spring cli 70, which is interposed between the track members upon their being telescoped, so that the tapered bearing surfaces 66, 68 are urged into direct surface contact with one another.

It will be noted that the invention is readily usable in standard-size door and jamb combinations without requiring panel alterations for track clearance. Even if the height of a group of doors varies within any size standard, the preferred embodiment of the hollow track is adapted to accept greater or lesser penetration of the roller guide 46 into the telescoping track members to automatically adjust for variations in the width and thickness of different doors, as well as for accommodating irregularities in the doorways and in the installation of the hardware without requiring that it be relocated.

It is believed that the use of the guide assembly of the invention will be apparent from the above description together with the following brief explanation of its operation.

After the door panels are hung and the guide assembly is mounted as previously described, the bifolding door is pulled open from the closed position whereby the roller guide 46 is progressively drawn along the guide slot during which time the entire telescoping track pivots relative to the left-hand end of the outer track member 22 and the opposite or right-hand end of the inner track member 23 laterally moves in an are governed by the track control bracket 24. Although the are so described may vary in different door installations having panels of varying thickness or, for example, varying projection of the hinges mounting the door to the side of the doorway, the telescoping track readily accommodates such differences to provide a favorable geometry to the door movement in addition to simplifying the door installation.

It will now be apparent that under the influence of the jamb panel guide 26 the relative position of the telescoping track members 22 and 23 is retracted, with respect to their position when the door is closed, through a door opening of approximately and the lead panel 18 is controlled by the roller bracket 38. Between 90 and door openings, jamb panel guide 26 eflectuates the extension of the track for the necessary increase in distance between the pivot points of the guide assembly while at the same time providing control for the lead panel to a fully opened position, Thereafter, the door need only be lightly drawn outwardly from the wall to be closed, and the guide assembly again continuously and smoothly controls its traversing while resisting noise and undesirable door movements, the guide assembly being concealed from the outward or hinge-axis side of the door when the door is fully closed to provide an attractive door installation.

Finally, it will be apparent from the above description that the guide assembly of the present invention is economical to fabricate and provides an exceptionally stable structure for quietly and smoothly controlling the movement of a bifolding door throughout a swing of 180 in addition to being particularly suited to facilitate rapid installation requiring a minimum of skill. In the event it is desired to remove the door for any reason, only the pivot pin of the track control bracket need be disconnected and the door may be removed from its hinges.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure abovedescribed will become readily apparent without departture from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a Wall having a doorway therein, a bifolding door having a first panel and a second panel hinged together side-by-side With the first panel hingedly mounted along one edge at one side of the doorway, and a guide assembly comprising an elongated hollow track including an outer telescoping track member and an inner telescoping track member received within the outer track member for relative sliding movement, each track member having an end continuously exposed at a longtiudinal end of the track opposite the exposed end of the other track member and side walls longitudinally extending in spaced opposed parallel relationship forming a longitudinal guide slot in the track, corresponding side walls of the track members on each side of the guide slot being in coplanar alignment to define uninterrupted sides for the guide slot, first pivot means secured to the exposed end of one of the track members and pivotally mounting one end of the track to the first panel adjacent the top thereof by the side of the doorway, second pivot means secured to the exposed end of the other of the track members and pivotally mounting the opposite end of the track at the top of the doorway, a door guide, and mounting means for mounting the door guide to the second panel adjacent its outer corner, the door guide being received within the guide slot of the track for controlling the movement of the panels during opening and closing of the door, and the telescoping track members providing retraction and extension of the track for accommodating lateral and pivotal movement of the first pivot means relative to the second pivot means resulting from door movement.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the side walls of the track members are at the bottom thereof, the corresponding side walls on each side of the guide slot lying in a common vertical plane.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein portions of the track members in sliding engagement on each side of the guide slot include tapered bearing surfaces limiting relative lateral movement of the track members, and wherein the assembly includes biasing means urging the tapered bearing surfaces into direct contact to maintain the coplanar alignment of the side walls defining the guide slot and to prevent the track from rattling.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the mounting means for mounting the door guide include a reversible tilt plate secured to the second panel adjacent its outer corner having a flange on the side of the plate remote from the panel edge, the flange being directed angularly outwardly from the plane of the plate toward the panel edge, and a guide member overlying the tilt plate having a horizontal arm directed outwardly therefrom with the door guide being fixed at the end of the arm.

5. In a guide assembly having a door guide mountable on a bifolding door for controlling the movement thereof, an elongated hollow track comprisingan outer telescoping track member, an inner telescoping track member received within the outer track member for relative sliding movement, a pair of side walls longitudinally extending in spaced opposed parallel relationship on each track member forming a longitudinal guide slot in the track for receiving the door guide, confronting surfaces of the side walls on the outer track member being in coplanar alignment with the corresponding confronting surfaces of the side walls on the inner track member to define uninterrupted sides for the guide slot engageable with the door guide, and biasing means disposed between the track members opposite the guide slot and urging the track members into direct contact to prevent the track from rattling.

6. In a guide assembly having a door guide mountable on a bifolding door for controlling the movement thereof, an elongated track comprising an outer telescoping track member, an inner telescoping track member received within the outer track member for relative sliding movement, a pair of side walls longitudinally extending in spaced opposed parallel relationship on the bottom of each track member forming a bottom guide slot in the track for receiving the door guide, confronting surfaces of the side Walls on the outer track member being in coplanar vertical alignment with the corresponding confronting surfaces of the side walls on the inner track member to define uninterrupted sides for the guide slot engageable with the door guide portions of the track members slidably engaged on each side of the guide slot including tapered bearing surfaces limiting relative lateral movement of the track members, and biasing means between the track members at the top of the track urging the tapered bearing surfaces into direct contact to maintain the coplanar alignment of the side Walls defining the guide slot and to prevent the track from rattling,

7. The track as recited in claim 6 wherein one end of the outer track member includes a pair of apertures formed in the top thereof, and wherein the biasing means include a generally rectangular strip of nylon-type material having tabs at opposite ends thereof received within the apertures of the outer track member, the tabs locking the strip in position between the track members and creating a bias against the inner track member urging the tapered bearing surfaces thereof into direct contact with the tapered bearing surfaces of the outer track member.

8. In a guide assembly having a door guide mountable on a bifolding door for controlling the movement thereof, an elongated hollow track comprising an outer telescoping track member having at one end a pair of apertures formed in the top thereof, an inner telescoping track member received within the one end of the outer track member for relative sliding movement, a pair of longitudinally extending flanges having free end surfaces in spaced opposed parallel relationship on th bottom of each track member forming a bottom guide slot in the track for receiving the door guide, the free end surfaces on the outer track member lying in a common vertical plane with the corresponding free end surfaces on the inner track member to define uninterrupted sides for the guide slot, each track member having a longitudinally extending beveled bearing surface formed on each flange in mating interlocking engagement with a corresponding bearing surface on the other track member, and a generally rectangular, flat spring of nylon-type material having tabs at opposite ends thereof received within the apertures in the outer track member for locking the spring in fixed relationship thereto and biasing the hearing surfaces of the inner track member against the cor- I 8 responding bearing surfaces of the outer track member 3,029,868 4/1962 Ogburn et a1 160206 X to cooperate therewith in providing lateral stability of 3,111,165 11/1963 Nelson 160*118 X :1}: ttregzicoping track members and to prevent rattling of FOREIGN PATENTS References Cited 5 W1 Zer an U IT STATES PATENTS DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. 1,798,361 3/1931 Sneed 24s 5 X ARR N MO E x n 2,755,009 7/1956 Parker 160-60 X D. L, TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

5. IN A GUIDE ASSEMBLY HAVING A DOOR GUIDE MOUNTABLE ON A BIFOLDING DOOR FOR CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT THEREOF, AN ELONGATED HOLLOW TRACK COMPRISING AN OUTER TELESCOPING TRACK MEMBER, AN INNER TELESCOPING TRACK MEMBER RECEIVED WITHIN THE OUTER TRACK MEMBER FOR RELATIVE SLIDING MOVEMENT, A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING IN SPACED OPPOSED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP ON EACH TRACK MEMBER FORMING A LONGITUDINAL GUIDE SLOT IN THE TRACK FOR RECEIVING THE DOOR GUIDE, CONFRONTING SURFACES OF THE SIDE WALLS ON THE OUTER TRACK MEMBER BEING IN COPLANAR ALIGNMENT WITH THE CORRESPONDING CONFRONTING SURFACES OF THE SIDE WALLS ON THE INNER TRACK MEMBER TO DEFINE UNITERRUPTED SIDES FOR THE GUIDE SLOT ENGAGEABLE WITH THE DOOR GUIDE, AND BIASING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN THE TRACK MEMBERS OPPOSITE THE GUIDE SLOT AND URGING THE TRACK MEMBERS INTO DIRECT CONTACT TO PREVENT THE TRACK FROM RATTLING. 